hodgins



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet v1.

0.0110001100.y MEANS POR TESTING FLUID PRESSURE SYSTEMS.

No. 002,000. PmentedApr. 5, 1000.-

Illlll HIIIH /NVENTH W/TNESSES.'

MORRIS PETERS co. PHoraLnN (Nd Model.)

GQ s. 'HODGINs-- 2 Sheets-Sheet `2.

MEANS EDE TESTING FLUID PRESSURE SYSTEMS.

Patented Apr. 5,1898.

T0 MAIN HES Enya/l? MKM TH: Noms Pzfms co, mmc-Uma. msmNGmN D c /NVENTH Nrrn STATES g ATEN'r GEORGE s. HoDeINsy'OE WINDSOR, CANADA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,009, dated April 5, 1898.

v Application tiled March 26, 1894.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE SHERWO'OD IIODGINs, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at -Windsor, in the county of Essex and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Means for Testing Fluid-Pressure Systems, of Which the following is a specification sufficiently full, clear, and accurate to enable persons skilled in theart to make, apply, and practice the same.

The objects of my invention are, Iirst, to enable the engineer at all times to ascertain the condition of the brake system and also of the signal system throughout the entire length of a train; second, to inform the engineer when the brake in either service or emergency applications is applied to the last car of a train.

With these objects in View my invention consists in providing a railway-train with a fluid-pressure pipe-line,which may be a fluidpressure signal-line, substantially parallel With the fluid-pressure brake-pipe line and connecting with the said lines means Whereby the fluid-pressure in one of the pipe-lines can be varied and effect a variation of uidpressure in the other line and therebyoperate a signal.

Further, it consists in a proving-Valve provided With couplings for attaching the same to tWo pipe-lines.

Finally, it consists in certain novelties of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The best mode in which I contemplate the practice and application4 of my invention is hereby set forth in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like letters and iigures of reference designate similar parts.

Figure l is a perpendicular section of a brake-proving valve; Fig. 2, a sectional plan of Fig. l on line a Fig. 3, a sectional plan of Fig. 1 Online 2 n; Fig. 4, an elevation'of the brake-proving valve completewith couplings attached; vand Fig. 5 is avieW of a locomotive-cab, a' tender, and the rear end of a car provided With air-brake and signal appli- Serial No. 505,206. (Nonoclel.)

ances and also with a proving-valve attached in operative position.

Referring to Fig. 5 and the brake system, l is the engineers brake-valve, and 2 a pipe leading therefrom and connected through the couplings 3 S'With the train-pipes 4 4, extending to the rear of the train.

In the signal system,12 designates a Whistle;

10, a signal-valve; Il, a pipe joining them; 9, a pipe Which, in connection with the couplings 8 S and lpipes 7 7, conveys air under pressure to the rear car of the train. The air-brake and signal systems are of any WellknoWn construction and do not require detailed description.

A proving-valve is attached to the brakehose 5 and signal-hose 6, as shown in Fig. 5, and may be supported from the platform or car-body in any convenient Way.

The particular proving-valve illustrated consists of a main body-piece, as shown, having cavities I J, a loWer cap Z, an upper cap Y, .pipes and couplings A L, the former of which is adapted for attachments to the train air-brake hose and the latter to the signalhose piston R, valve S, spring T, pipe P, nut Q, and suitable bushings and guides. While I have shown and described but this one specific construction of valve adapted to perform the functions necessary in the practice of my method of testing, I do not confine myself to said construction or form, inasmuch as other constructions or forms Which perform the desired or equivalent functions may be employed in place of that shown.

Vhen the brake and signal systems are in operative condition and the proving-valve attached, air from `the main brake-pipe at seventy pounds pressure, more or less, enters the proving-valve through pipe A, passes to the.

chamber B, and thence through passages C D into chamber E. The pressure of the air raises piston R up to the position shown in Fig. l, and air then flows past the piston through the small groove F, cut in the brass bushing which forms the Wall of chamber E. The air passes on through groove Gr into' chamber H and thence through appropriate openings U U, under or in the cap Y, into the cavities I and J, Figs. 2 and 3. The same pressure will therefore exist on both sides of piston R-that is, in chamber E and chamber I-I. The piston R will remain in equilibrium in the position shown in Fig. 1. At the same time air from the signal-pipe enters through pipe L and fills chamber M. The port N is blocked by a portion of a small slidevalve S. The cavity O in the under side of the valve is in direct communication with the atmosphere through small pipe P, with'nut Q, forming a diminutive orifice. Valve S is kept tight by the pressure of air in chamber II and by the spring T. The pressure of air in chamber M never being greater than forty pounds to the square inch and the normal pressure in chamber I-I being approximately seventy pounds valve S has no tendency to rise from its seat.

The method of testing the brake and signal systems, which consists in `varying the fluid-pressure in the pipe-lines, 4is as follows: The engineer rotates the handle of the engineers valve through the required arc and allows a small quantity of air to escape from the train-pipe. The pressure in this pipe is reduced and also in chambers B and E of the proving-valve. The pressure in chamber II 4and cavities I J being greater than in chamber E and the passages G and F being too small to allow the pressure to become quickly equalized the piston R is forced downward, and with it is carried slide-valve S, bringing cavity O over port N. An open passage from chamber M through N P Q to the atmosphere is thus made. The escape of air from the chamber M reduces the pressure in the signal-pipe and sounds the whistle in the locomotive-cab. The transmission of the signal is thus successively through the elements designatedl2 345AL6'789101112. The signal informs the engineer that the brake and signal systems are throughout operative and unobstructed.

Vhen piston R is in the lower or position for sounding the whistle, the air in the chamber II (and cavities I and J) is allowed to slowly equalize through minute groove K into chamber E and then into the train brake-pipe. This equalization of pressure will add only a small volume to that in the brake-pipe and may be disregarded; but all possible danger of releasing the brakes by this means is obviated by the Vimproved Vestinghouse engineers valve now in use.

TheV information that the brake has been i applied to the rear car of the train in service When the brakes are released in the wellknown way, a sudden and powerful rush of air passes along the brake-pipe and instantaneously forces piston R upward into its raised position, the gust of air being too strong to slowly pass up through small groove K. Air will then pass into chamber II and cavities I and J, as before. Slide-valve S is also moved up, cutting off 'all flow of air from chamber M to the atmosphere by blanking the port N, as shown in Fig. l. The signalpipe can then be recharged from the engine in the usual way.

In the particular physical embodiment illustrated and described by way of specific-example I have referred to the auxiliary fluidpressure pipe-line as a F signal-line, meaning thereby the ordinary signal-pipe line in common use; but my auxiliary pipe-line need not be adapted for the purpose of ordinary signaling.

The foregoing method of testing and apparatus for effecting the same constitutes what I believe to be the best mode for carrying out the invention; but I do not exclude other modes or means which are equivalents thereof and consider them as falling within the scope of my invention.

Vhat I claim isl. The combination with two fluid-pressure pipe-lines and a signal, of testing mechanism operatively connected thereto, such mechanism being arranged to operate by a variation of fluid-pressure in one pipe to vary the fluidpressure in the other, and thereby operate the signal; substantially as described.

2. The combination with two fluid-pressure pipe-lines extending from the locomotive throughout the length of the train, and asignal, of testing mechanism operatively connected thereto, such mechanism being arranged to operate by a variation of fluid-pressure in one pipe to vary the fluid-pressure in the other, and thereby operate a signal; substantially as described.

3. The combination with two fluid-pressure pipe-'lines on arailway-train, one of them being an air-brake pipe-liue,andasignal,of testing mechanism operatively connected thereto, such mechanism being arranged to operate by a variation of fluid-pressure in one pipe to vary the fluid-pressure in the other, and thereby operate the signal 5 substantially as described.

4. The combination with two fluid-pressure pipe-lines, means for varying the pressure at one end of said pipe-lines, and a signal,'of testing mechanism operatively connected thereto, such mechanism being arranged to operate by a variation of fluid-pressure in one pipe to vary the fluid-pressure in the other, and thereby operate the signal; substantially as described.

5. The apparatus for testing the air-brake and signal systems, consisting of the following elements in combination, to wit: a train- IOO IIS

pipe; a signa1-pipe;a proving-valve; means an opening from a second chamber which' for discharging air from the train-pipe; and. communicates With the other pipe-coupling;

a signal; in substance as set forth. substantially as described.

6. A proving-Valve having fluid-pressure GEO. S. HODGINS. 5 pipe-couplings, one of which communicates Witnesses: y

With a chamber in a valve-casing, a piston SPENCER W. DOWKER, in said chamber, and said piston controlling JAMES ATKINSON. 

